Murder Trial: Accused talks of friendship break down

46-year-old Ian Anderson has told a jury that there had "never" been anything more than friendship between him and Ballabeg man Neil Roberts. 

 

However that friendship was said to terminate in May 2013 when he found a text from Mr Roberts on his wife's phone - saying after that he "didn't want anything to do with him". 

 

Giving evidence he admitted Mr Roberts continued efforts to speak to him "annoyed" him - "It got under your skin didn't it?" the prosecutor asked. "No, not at all," Anderson replied. 

 

In July that year Anderson found his wife in bed with Mr Roberts - "You were angry by then weren't you and you carried it with you didn't you?" the prosecutor asked. "No," Anderson replied. 

 

On November 30th Anderson picked Mr Roberts up in Ballabeg, after he told him he'd crashed his car - the pair went to the Bay Hotel in Port Erin before returning to Castletown. 

 

This, the prosecutor said, was something "completely incongruous" - questioning why Anderson would go for a drink with a man he said he wanted nothing to do with. 

 

Anderson said he'd gone to help him because he was a "compassionate" person saying despite everything he didn't have any "bad feelings" towards him. 

 

Neil Robert's body was found at Anderson's home in the early hours of Sunday, December 1st - he'd suffered what the prosecution described as "catastrophic injuries". 

 

Ian Anderson denies murder - the trial continues